Living frugally doesn’t mean dooming yourself to a life of blandness and boredom- it just means budgeting your money wisely and knowing where everything goes. In fact, by living frugally, you are able to afford more extravagant splurges later on, rather than wondering why all your money disappears from fast food and unplanned Walmart/Target visits. I try to budget myself carefully, but I also make sure that “fun money” is a part of my budget! I set aside $50 a month to blow on random stuff- book store visits, date nights, and whatever else. Also, I decide on a splurge item that I really want each month, and build that into my budget as well. In fact, I have a board on Pinterest called “Treat Yo’Self,” full of things I don’t really need, but that I plan on buying. This month, I went on a mini shopping spree at Bath and Body Works and got myself all kinds of fancy lotions to pamper myself with. Last month, I got myself a new board game. And that’s ok! Because it was planned, and because I knew I could afford it.
For things that you actually should splurge on, check out this post by Honey Smith at the Get Rich Slowly blog. She recommends building “fun” money into your budget too, as well as loosening the purse strings when it comes to celebrating milestones, like graduation or weddings. Here’s her list of fun things you can get for under $50 that won’t break the bank next time you feel your money burning a hole in your pocket:
-Dinner and a movie
-A mani/pedi- around $30, and not just for ladies!
-A nice perfume or cologne- A splurge with some staying power. Buy some fancy perfume, break it out on special occasions.
-A scented candle
-A good book. Go ahead and get the hardcover, especially if it’s one you’ll want forever.
-A video game- can keep you entertained for DAYs, and only for about $50.
-Save for a day trip/weekend vacation.